STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT
by Donna McIntosh
Summary: Ennis meets a stranger in a bar who changes his life.


TITLE: Strangers In The Night

AUTHOR: dmcintoshtx

RATING: R

CHARACTERS: Ennis and Jack

WARNING: m/m sex

DISCLAIMERS: These characters belong to Annie Proulx, I just borrow them from time to time.

STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT

He always looked forward to Fridays. He would pick up a case of

beer, a bottle of whiskey go home to his empty little trailer, think

about Jack and get drunk. It wasn't much of a life but it was his.

He decided to stop in at Sonny's Bar for a few beers to get the

weekend started. He sat at a small table off to one side. It was a

quiet night for a Friday but it was still early. He fully intended

to be home before any local action got going; he didn't feel like

mixing it up tonight. There were only a few people in the place,

about half the tables were occupied. Just one person sitting at the

far end of the bar; he looked real young, out of place here.

Ennis stared out the window, watching the cars go by. Locals,

finishing up their week like he had. The music on the jukebox was

low and sweet and added to his mood of melancholy. His memories were

interrupted when two loud-mouths walked in the place; all attitude

and looking for trouble. They spotted the young man drinking alone

at the bar. They sat down, one on either side of him; the biggest

one putting an arm around the slumped shoulders. "What's matter

there fella? Lonesome?" He slurred.

The young man turned, trying to push the arm off his

shoulder. "Please. Just leave me alone."

Ennis took another swallow of beer and swore to himself that he was

gonna stay out of it. Maybe somebody else will do something.

"Now, no need to take offense. Just wanna be friends is all, ain't

that right Harvey?" He grinned to his buddy and put is arm back

around the young man.

"That's right, sweetheart." the other man slurred, drunk as

well. "You're too pretty to be sittin here alone." He strated

rubbing circles on the young man's back. He tried to stand up but

they held him in place. "Please. Let go of me," he struggled.

Ennis finished the last swallow in his bottle and threw it at the

bar, crashing it into pieces just beside the biggest guy. The room

went silent. Two couples slipped quickly out the side door. One got

up and headed for the back calling for the Sonny, the bartender; two

old timers sat still, waiting for the action to start, their gazes

going from Ennis, to the big guy, back to Ennis again.

"You got a problem, Cowboy?" The big guy snarled.

Hearing the name that Jack called him coming from that filthy mouth

ignited something inside of him. "No I don't got a problem."

He stood, up-ending his chair, removed his hat and placed it on the

table. "Looks like you got the problem."

He could have gone to them; take the fight up front to the bar; but

he stood where he was. Waiting for them to come to him. Maybe that

would give the young man a chance to slip out unseen.

The big guy stared him in the eye for a minute; then backed

down. "We was just being friendly. New to town, ya know?"

He truned to his buddy who was eyeing the situation trying to decide

whether to fight or run. "Ain't that right, Arnie?"

"Yeah. He was alone and all. We just wanted to party with him a

little." He stared at Ennis, saw the look in his eye and the balled

up fists. "We can go someplace else and party. C'mon Phil. Let's

get the hell outta here. Don't wanna spend the night in jail

again."

The big guy was still studying Ennis, making up his mind. Sonny

showed up then with a baseball bat. "What's goin on here?

Who started this?" He glared at the big man.

"Yer lookin at 'em" One of the old men called out.

"Get the hell outta my place." He clutched the bat in both hands in

front of him.

The two men left the bar, cursing all the way. Ennis righted his

chair then went up behind the bar and got the wisk broom and dust pan

and cleaned up the mess he'd made.

"What happened?" The bartender asked.

"Bottle slipped out of my hands." Ennis answered, dumping the broken

glass into the trash can. He returned the broom and pan in it's

place behind the counter and returned to his seat at the table.

Other customers came in people started talking again, everything

eased back to normal.

Ennis signaled for another beer and went back to his private

throughts, thankful that things hadn't gotten all that out of hand.

A fresh bottle was set down in front of him. He looked up to thank

Sonny and instead saw the young stranger standing there.

"Mind if I buy you a beer? I owe you one."

"Sure thing. But you don't owe me nothin. Just doin a little house-

cleanin is all." Ennis answered and nodded for him to sit down.

"Name's Randy" he reached his hand out and Ennis took it in a quick

shake, saying "Ennis".

"I wanted to thank you. I was really gettin...a little scared."

He took a gulp of his beer.

"I can understand that." Ennis said and offered him a cigarette; lit

one up himself; then lit Randy's. "You're not from around here, are

you?"

"No. I was born in Tennessee, grew up in New York City. Just

passing through on the way to the mountains." He looked down at his

beer, shoulders slouched, cloaked in sadness.

"You look like a city fella to me. Why you headin for the

mountains?" Ennis asked, not used to polite conversations with

strangers but there was something about this quiet, sad young man

that made him reach out.

"I was there a few times before, with...a friend."

"Another city fella?" Ennis asked, trying to picture this young man

in the wilderness.

"No. Actually he was born is Casper, on a ranch. We met at college

in New York. It took him months to talk me into coming up here." He

stopped. Took another gulp of his beer and stared off in the

distance.

"Nice time of year for the mountains; spring. Worst of the cold is

over. Wildflowers bloomin everywhere."

"Yeah. I remember."

"You're friend. Didn't make the trip this time?"

"No." Randy answered. "Actually he's gone. He was...killed."

"Killed!" Rage began to boil up inside him. "Somebody killed him?"

"No. I didn't mean that. He was killed in an automobile accident.

Three months ago. I'm going back to some of the places we went to

together."

"I'm sorry." He didn't know what else to say. He noticed the young

man fingering a plain gold band he was wearing on his third finger,

right hand. "Must'a been a good friend."

"We were more than friends. We were...partners." Randy blinked

back tears.

"The two of you in business together?" Ennis asked, clearly not

understanding the situation.

"No. We were planning to be though when we finished our internship.

We were going to open up a practice together. He used to like to

bring me up here, show me what ranch life was all about. Then I'd

take him into the city; to museums, theaters, all the great

restaurants. Show him what my life was like. How I grew up."

Ennis began to squirm in his chair. This fella should really watch

what he's saying. Sounds a lot like he's saying things he

shouldn't. He sat and stared at him.

"Did I shock you?" Randy asked, noticing the look on Ennis's face.

"No. It's just...The way you said it. Some folks 'round here

might take it the wrong way. You should be careful."

Randy drained his bottle. "I don't care what people think. I'm

beyond that. All I care about is that my Michael is gone and I'll

never love anyone else the way I love him." He stood to leave but

Ennis stopped him, pulling him back down into his seat.

"You can't talk like that around here." he glanced nervously around

the room. No one was paying any attention to them.

"People don't put up with that sort of thing. You could get hurt."

"You talkin about 'gay bashing'?" Randy asked.

"W what? I'm talkin 'bout people ...like you and your friend.

What's this 'gay bashing'?"

Randy took a deep breath and rubbed the back of his neck. He couldn't

believe this guy didn't know what he was talking about.

"Gay bashing is when some guys get together, go out and find some gay

guy, and beat the hell out of him."

Ennis was appalled. "This sort of thing happen a lot?" he asked.

"Not really. Every now and then."

"Aren't you afraid? Lettin people know...you know...about you and

your friend?" Ennis couldn't believe he was having this conversation

with a stranger.

"No. I'm not going to live my life in fear. Then they would win,

wouldn't they? The bastards!"

"You could get dead." Ennis warned.

"Then that would be on them, not me. Somebody got their heart set on

murdering, then they're gonna do it. Nothing I can do about that.

It sure won't change the way I live my life. I am what I am. I'm

gay. I used to be all scared about it but that's one lesson Michael

taught me. Not to be afraid of the truth. If other people can't

accept that, then that's their problem to handle. It's not my

problem to solve." He stopped for a moment. Ennis stared at him.

"Life's too short to pretend to be something I'm not." Randy

continued. "Look. I need to go. I've had too many beers; and I'm

tired. I thank you again for your help a while ago. It's been a

pleasure." he reached his hand to Ennis for a shake. He shook it and

asked one more question. "How old are you?" "26" Randy

answered. "Why?"

"Just wondering how you got so smart so young." He smiled at him.

Randy smiled and walked out.

Ennis paid his tab and went home. He poured himself a whiskey, sat

and thought about the young man he had met that evening. He couldn't

believe how brave he was. Ennis was afraid for him. Hoped he never

met up with any of those gay-bashers.

Before he knew it, light was coming through the kitchen window. He

watched as the sky was filled with the pink-gray dawn. Watched the

sun cover everything with its golden glow. He stood up and stretched

from head to toe, bones cracking and realigning themselves. He

walked the length of the trailer and back again; then did it again.

Somewhere, in that long dark night, a door had opened in his heart.

With the morning dawn came realization, strong and clear. The young

man he had met the night before was right. They had each been given

a life to live and Randy had chosen to live his, out in the open;

other peoples opinions be damned. Ennis had chosen to

hide, live a life of lies and pretense. The thought sickened him.

He stopped in front of the calendar where he had the date for Jack's

next visit circled in red ink. One week to go. One week to prepare!

He got a ticket on his way there, one he could sorely afford but it

didn't dampen his mood. The windows of his pickup were open and

music was blaring on the radio. He turned on the rutted old trail

that led up to their favorite campsite and he turned the volume up

louder. Willie Nelson was singing You Don't Know Me. "afraid

and shy, I let my chance go by, the chance you might have loved me

to." He wanted Jack to hear; to know he was almost there.

He pulled to a stop and saw him then, standing by the campfire. Tent

all set up, pot boiling on the fire. Jack looked up at him, hands on

hips, smile a mile wide.

Everything was swelling up inside him. He struggled to get his gear

out of the truck and yelled down to Jack. "Hey, how 'bout a little

help up here."

Jack came galloping up the incline towards him. When he was within a

few feet, Ennis dropped the gear and threw himself at him. They

tumbled backwards and rolled down the hill, with laughter, curses and

a couple of "Ouch"s thrown in. They came to a stop just before the

tent, Ennis on top. He brushed the grass off the laughing face under

him and kissed him deeply.

"Jack Fuckin Twist! Did I ever tell you that I love you?"

The laughing blue eyes turned serious. "No. You never did."

Ennis kissed him again, then said, "I been a fool about things,

Jack. If you still want me, full-time, well, I'm available."

Jack pushed him off and jumped to his feet. "What the hell you

talking 'bout?"

"I been doin some serious thinkin. You and me should be together. I

been a fool, Jack. I can see that now. Clear as anythin. So if you

still want us to get a place together...That is, if you still want

to?" He had to stop, not sure how Jack was taking this.

"Why? Why now, after all these years?" Jack wasn't convinced.

"I been scared to death, Jack. Scared something might happen if it

ever got out that you and me was living together. So scared that I

let nearly 20 years of our lives slip by. I'm through hidin. I am

what I am. I ain't apologizing for it. It's who I am. I love you.

And I believe with my whole heart that you love me too, though we

never said the words before. I'm through living my life lookin over

my shoulder for someone to jump out and get me. If that happens,

I'll handle it as best I can. In the mean time, I'd like to start

livin. And that would be livin with you."

They stood face to face staring at one another, each trying to read

the other's thoughts. Jack broke first. His face went from a solemn

stare, to a wicked open-mouthed grin. He bent down, grabbed Ennis

around the waist and hefted him up over his shoulder and started

spinning them around, yeehawing and yelling till he lost his footing

and they both tumbled down into the edge of the creek, both getting

soaked. They laughed and splashed, and dunked each other till the

need overcame them and they began tearing clothes off one another.

Jackets, shirts, belts went flying. Jeans and boots were scattered

on the way to the waiting tent. They fell into each others arms in

the warmth of the tent and took each other with long slow kisses to

start and ending a short time later with their panting grunting

climaxes seconds apart.

They lay in silence and basked in their afterglow. Jack breaking the

silence first, once again.

"This really happenin? I ain't dreamin?" He nuzzled the back of

Ennis's ear into the soft curls there; one of his favorite spots.

"Yeah. I can't think of nothin but you and me like this every night;

wakin up every mornin with you in my bed." Ennis snuggled in closer.

"I don't know what changed your mind but I'm thankful for it." Jack

said.

"Well, I meet this guy..." he started.

"You what???" Jack demanded.

"No. It wasn't like that."

He told him then about his meeting the weekend before with Randy.

Told him about sitting up all night thinking about what he had said;

and how it all made sense. It was all so clear to him now, he

couldn't believe he never saw it before. It was his life to live as

he chose. He could either go on living a lie, or he could live free

and out in the open. Whatever came to them, they would handle. It

was simple as that.

They got dressed and ate the stew that Jack had simmering over the

fire and set about planning the rest of their lives together.

The End


End file.
